SIU football lost its third straight game Saturday, but this time on its home turf.

The Indiana State Sycamores moved the ball on the ground and through the air to defeat SIU 41-26 .

Indiana State Quarterback, senior Mike Perish led the Sycamores with a 4-touchdown performance. He also threw for 353 yards.

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The Salukis also struggled to stop the Football Championship Subdivision’s 116^th ranked rushing offense. Three Sycamore running backs totaled 215 total yards. Senior running back Buck Logan had 142 yards on 15 carries, an average of 9.5 yards per carry.

Indiana State dominated the Salukis in the first half.

The Sycamores scored quickly on their first two drives; it took just 6 plays for them to score 14 points.

Perish threw for 221 yards and 2 scores in the first half.

Junior Mark Iannotti found senior tight end MyCole Pruitt for a 3-yard touchdown pass for the Salukis’ only score of the first half.

Iannotti was benched for sophomore quarterback Ryan West during the last drive of the second half.

West finished the game 21-for-34 with 195 yards and 2 touchdowns. Iannotti was 10-for-17 for 96 yards and a touchdown. Iannotti was also sacked three times.

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SIU scored first in the second half when West threw to senior wide receiver Tay Willis for a 26-yard touchdown pass to make the score 24-14.

Indiana State scored two unanswered touchdowns after Willis’ to put the game out of reach for the Salukis.

With the loss SIU must win it’s remaining three games in order to become playoff eligible.

The Salukis will have a bye week next week, before travelling to Missouri State on Nov. 8.